Drc Nt's Defense Still Searching For Form

OldTimer · October 5, 2007

Football: UNT's defense still searching for form

11:10 PM CDT on Thursday, October 4, 2007

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

Before North Texas opened its season, new head coach Todd Dodge said the Mean Green's defense would have to carry the team until its offense settled into a new passing scheme.

So far, the unit that includes nine returning starters and three Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference players hasn’t lived up to expectations.

UNT (0-4) has give up at least 30 points in all four of its games, been torched for a school record 79 points in a loss to Oklahoma and heads into a game Saturday at Louisiana-Lafayette ranked last nationally both in scoring defense (55.0 points allowed per game) and total defense (580.25 yards allowed per game).

The Mean Green is giving up 45.7 yards and 9.8 more points a game than any other team in the NCAA's Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A).

“This has definitely taken us by surprise,” senior linebacker Brandon Monroe said. “I am not playing the best I can play and a lot of the other starters feel the same way. We have a lot of seniors on the team and have to live up to that.”

UNT has turned to that core of veterans that includes preseason all-conference picks in safety Aaron Weathers, defensive end Jeremiah Chapman and linebacker Maurice Holman to help the unit through the adjustment to a new staff and a scheme.

UNT spent last season in a 3-4 alignment before moving into a 4-3 scheme this season under a staff that does not have an assistant who has worked on the defensive side of the ball at the Bowl Subdivision level as anything other than a graduate assistant.

Safeties coach Chuck Petersen spent 17 years as an offensive assistant at Air Force before coming to UNT. Cornerbacks coach Butch LaCroix was an assistant at UNT from 1986-93 when the Mean Green competed in Division I-AA, while defensive ends coach David Rausch was an assistant coach at Division III Hardin-Simmons in Abilene before coming to UNT.

Ron Mendoza, UNT’s defensive coordinator, spent more than 20 years in the high school ranks and is coaching at the Bowl Subdivision level for the first time along with defensive line coach Robert Drake.

Dodge did not make Mendoza available for comment.

“That is the decision I made,” Dodge said of hiring coaches without major college experience. “I don’t regret one bit bringing any of my guys with me. There are adjustments to be made in any season any situation.”

One of the criticisms of UNT’s defense early in the season is that it has failed to adjust to its opponents. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford completed 21-of-23 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns in a 79-10 win over the Mean Green.

"They stayed in the same defense and they never really threw him [bradford] different coverages," Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly said.

UNT had an off week following its loss to SMU in its second game of the season and improved dramatically in a 30-20 loss to Florida Atlantic before taking a step back last week in a 66-10 loss to Arkansas.

Dodge pointed to the FAU game as a sign of what the Mean Green's defense could become. The Owls scored two touchdowns on drives that covered less than 20 yards after blocked punts.

"We are making the right adjustments and are continuing to get better," Dodge said. "In our off week we made a lot of adjustments that helped us against Florida Atlantic. Our players are continuing to execute our schemes better on the practice field. I feel confident that we will continue to improve."

UNT's players say they believe in the scheme and need to start to make the plays that will help turn the team's season around.

"By now we should know the scheme," Monroe said. "We are four games into the season. Our younger players are more experienced now. We have gone over it. Now we have to make plays."

Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News contributed to this report.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

houstonmeangreen · October 5, 2007

Football: UNT's defense still searching for form
11:10 PM CDT on Thursday, October 4, 2007
By Brett Vito / Staff Writer
Before North Texas opened its season, new head coach Todd Dodge said the Mean Green's defense would have to carry the team until its offense settled into a new passing scheme.
So far, the unit that includes nine returning starters and three Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference players hasn’t lived up to expectations.
UNT (0-4) has give up at least 30 points in all four of its games, been torched for a school record 79 points in a loss to Oklahoma and heads into a game Saturday at Louisiana-Lafayette ranked last nationally both in scoring defense (55.0 points allowed per game) and total defense (580.25 yards allowed per game).
The Mean Green is giving up 45.7 yards and 9.8 more points a game than any other team in the NCAA's Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A).
“This has definitely taken us by surprise,” senior linebacker Brandon Monroe said. “I am not playing the best I can play and a lot of the other starters feel the same way. We have a lot of seniors on the team and have to live up to that.”
UNT has turned to that core of veterans that includes preseason all-conference picks in safety Aaron Weathers, defensive end Jeremiah Chapman and linebacker Maurice Holman to help the unit through the adjustment to a new staff and a scheme.
UNT spent last season in a 3-4 alignment before moving into a 4-3 scheme this season under a staff that does not have an assistant who has worked on the defensive side of the ball at the Bowl Subdivision level as anything other than a graduate assistant.
Safeties coach Chuck Petersen spent 17 years as an offensive assistant at Air Force before coming to UNT. Cornerbacks coach Butch LaCroix was an assistant at UNT from 1986-93 when the Mean Green competed in Division I-AA, while defensive ends coach David Rausch was an assistant coach at Division III Hardin-Simmons in Abilene before coming to UNT.
Ron Mendoza, UNT’s defensive coordinator, spent more than 20 years in the high school ranks and is coaching at the Bowl Subdivision level for the first time along with defensive line coach Robert Drake.
Dodge did not make Mendoza available for comment.
“That is the decision I made,” Dodge said of hiring coaches without major college experience. “I don’t regret one bit bringing any of my guys with me. There are adjustments to be made in any season any situation.”
One of the criticisms of UNT’s defense early in the season is that it has failed to adjust to its opponents. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford completed 21-of-23 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns in a 79-10 win over the Mean Green.
"They stayed in the same defense and they never really threw him [bradford] different coverages," Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly said.
UNT had an off week following its loss to SMU in its second game of the season and improved dramatically in a 30-20 loss to Florida Atlantic before taking a step back last week in a 66-10 loss to Arkansas.
Dodge pointed to the FAU game as a sign of what the Mean Green's defense could become. The Owls scored two touchdowns on drives that covered less than 20 yards after blocked punts.
"We are making the right adjustments and are continuing to get better," Dodge said. "In our off week we made a lot of adjustments that helped us against Florida Atlantic. Our players are continuing to execute our schemes better on the practice field. I feel confident that we will continue to improve."
UNT's players say they believe in the scheme and need to start to make the plays that will help turn the team's season around.
"By now we should know the scheme," Monroe said. "We are four games into the season. Our younger players are more experienced now. We have gone over it. Now we have to make plays."
Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News contributed to this report.
BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

Is Mendoza the worse DC we have ever had? TD should be careful on supporting "my guys" when they perform at this level....his coaching is lacking....an understatement. I don't think UNT is paying for this level of performance....TD this really makes you look bad....it makes UNT a laughing stock.

the real grad88 · October 5, 2007

Give me an attacking defense ANY day over a read first and react defense. I don't care if it means that you do get burned once and a while. I think we should have an attack mentality on both sides of the ball. We have it on offense, but why not employ the same philosophy on defense? I think a defensive player has natural instincts to play that kind of ball. You don't restrain an attack dog, you let him go! Blitz, attack and the fake the blitz. Blitz from different areas of the field...make the offense hesitant. That's how turnovers are created, and that is how games are won. We had that kind of defense for many years. Our defense WAS NOT the problem. The sooner our coach learns that, the quicker we are going to get on with where we all hope this ship is going to take us.

NCMeanGreen · October 5, 2007

Give me an attacking defense ANY day over a read first and react defense. I don't care if it means that you do get burned once and a while. I think we should have an attack mentality on both sides of the ball. We have it on offense, but why not employ the same philosophy on defense? I think a defensive player has natural instincts to play that kind of ball. You don't restrain an attack dog, you let him go! Blitz, attack and the fake the blitz. Blitz from different areas of the field...make the offense hesitant. That's how turnovers are created, and that is how games are won. We had that kind of defense for many years. Our defense WAS NOT the problem. The sooner our coach learns that, the quicker we are going to get on with where we all hope this ship is going to take us.

You know, it is interesting...I was watching the Kentucky/SC game last night and the announcers (and, hey, they are the "experts"...right!??) were discussing the defensive scheme that Kentucky employed against SC. It was an attacking, blitzing, kind of scheme. They were, initially, at least, getting some good pressure on the QB.

Now, I know they lost...but I was trying to draw comparisons to their defensive scheme and ours. Seems to be we are NOT aggressive enough...and we defintely do not make adjustments.

It is not a perfect science, for sure, but you have to be able to make adjustments in the college game. I wonder, does Mezdoza have experience with multiple (defensive) schemes...and if so, does he know when/how to apply them?

Got5onIt · October 5, 2007

Give me an attacking defense ANY day over a read first and react defense. I don't care if it means that you do get burned once and a while. I think we should have an attack mentality on both sides of the ball. We have it on offense, but why not employ the same philosophy on defense? I think a defensive player has natural instincts to play that kind of ball. You don't restrain an attack dog, you let him go! Blitz, attack and the fake the blitz. Blitz from different areas of the field...make the offense hesitant. That's how turnovers are created, and that is how games are won. We had that kind of defense for many years. Our defense WAS NOT the problem. The sooner our coach learns that, the quicker we are going to get on with where we all hope this ship is going to take us.

Ask Andy Reid why his Eagles have been so good on defense for so many years and he'll tell you it's all about Jim Johnson's attacking defensive scheme. They're defense has had good players, but none great.

FirefightnRick · October 5, 2007

There's more than 9 starters on this defense, there's 17, and 8 others who have contributed without actually getting a credited start, collectively they have combined for over 1300 tackles.

Rick

Edited October 5, 2007 by FirefightnRick